El Dorado
)Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 35 |location= Guayana Region, South AmericaCapcom (February 2000, PlayStation). Strider Hiryû 1&2 (Japanese). Mission 0: Investigate the Ancient Ruins; Scene 1: South America Guayana Region. Guaiquinima Waterfalls. |followed= Neo Hong Kong City |sub-bosses= Boost Tail, Cannon Tail, Snake Tail, Carrier Tail, Drill Cruiser |bosses= Strider Hien }} The Ruins of El Dorado ( ) is the special "Mission 00" stage introduced in the PlayStation port of Strider 2, unlocked after completing the original Strider and creating a clear file. The stage's official full name is "Investigate the Ancient Ruins" ( , lit. Investigate the Super-Ancient Ruins). Story El Dorado is the name of a mysterious ruined temple found deep within a forest area beneath Guaiquinima Hill, in Venezuela's Guayana region. The ruins are extremely ancient and extend throughout the underground, but no information is known about their origin or purpose. Deep within, however, Grandmaster Meio is resting inside a strange coffin-like contraption, awaiting the time for his return to the "Unified Earth" he has crafted. The Light Sword Cypher organization sent in a survey team in order to search the area and find the temple ruins. Hiryu arrives at the area to investigate and has to face the commando unit in his way to the ancient ruinsCapcom (February 2000, PlayStation). Strider Hiryû 1&2 (Japanese). Stage 0 Briefing. He eventually arrives at the burial chamber deep beneath the temple, but he instead finds an unexpected person. He arrives just after his former comrade Hien has released the Grandmaster from his coffin, being only able to witness as the Grandmaster teleports out. Hiryu and Hien have a brief scuffle until Hien calls it off, stating there's no point since Meio has left the place. Hien tries to convince Hiryu to stop his foolish mission, standing against the Creator of everything and everyone on the world. But Hiryu rejects him, instead warning him that he's going to hunt Meio down and telling him to fight seriously next time they meet. He then departs, leaving behind a saddened Hien. Layout Guaiquinima Waterfalls ( ) Known as "South America - Guyana Guaykinima falls" in the English script. A three-tiered, large area found on a cliffside with several flowing waterfalls. Hiryu has to contend with the Commando Troops send to survey the area as well as some of the strange local fauna living there. Falling rocks are also a hazard in the middle section of the cliff as well. At the top, there are two long waterfall cavities and a flamethrower-wielding soldier guarding the exit. Unexplored Region El Dorado ( ) Known as "Mysterious region - El Dorado" in the English script. Hiryu starts in a swamp-like area in the middle of a deep crevice, and he must climb upwards by grabbing onto hanging vines while avoiding snakes and other animals. A large tree stands on the top of the rock wall, and jumping at the other side there's a small wooden dock. From there Hiryu must jump across a river by using several plants hanging above as foothold, while dodging the dangerous Flat Eels flying around, then jump off a rotten trunk at the waterfall in the end to reach the ruins' entrance. Ruin Excavation Tunnel ( ) Known as "Tunnel to the ruins" in the English script. A large underground tunnel being drilled through by the massive Drill Cruiser. Hiryu pursues the large machine, confronting its several compartments or "tails" as he moves forward. Besides the tails' weapons, rocks falling at the far right side prevent him from standing idle. Inside El Dorado Ruins ( ) Known as "Interior of the El Dorado ruins" in the English script. Hiryu arrives at the head of the Drill Cruiser and attacks it as it continues drilling through the ancient temple and its large walls filled with mysterious markings. El Dorado Ruins Burial Chamber ( ) Known as "The bottom of the El Dorado ruins" in the English script. Standing deep underground in the temple ruins, this room houses a strange technological-looking "coffin" housing Grandmaster Meio. Hiryu arrives too late as he sees the Grandmaster floating above his tomb and Hien ready to fight. The area is a single square-shaped room with no obstacles. Stage Enemies Enemies present in this stage include: * Commando Troop (Scene 1) * Flying Chameleon (Scenes 1 and 2) * Poisonous Horned Frog (Scene 1) * Mutant Mushroom (Scene 1) * Snake (Scene 2) * Crocodile Owl (Scene 2) * Flat Eel (Scene 2) * Boost Tail (Scene 3 Boss) * Cannon Tail (Scene 3 Boss) * Snake Tail (Scene 3 Boss) * Carrier Tail (Scene 3 Boss) * Drill Cruiser (Scene 4 Boss) * Strider Hien (Scene 5 Boss) Design Notes "El Dorado" is the name of a mythological city or kingdom located somewhere on South America, reputedly holding an immense treasure of gold and precious jewels. The term "el dorado" is Spanish and means "the golden one". El Dorado was a planned stage since very early in development, briefly appearing as early as the reveal teaser video seen during the February 1999 AOU Show. According to one of the developers (nicknamed "Kappa"), one stage he was working on was scrapped for unknown reasonsCapcom (1999). Capcom Secret File #26: Strider Hiryu 2 (Japanese). Pg. 11, likely speaking about this stage. The 3D models for the first two scenes, however, were salvaged and repurposed as the backgrounds in the "Score Ranking" and "Best Time" screens respectively. Although scrapped, an unfinished and buggy version of the entire stage can be found buried in the Arcade game. The stage's internal listing places it as the 4th stage, right between the Antarctica Research Lab and the Flying Battleship Balrog, implying it may have been intended to be a normally selectable stage instead of a hidden or locked one. El Dorado would later resurface as a secret hidden stage in the PlayStation port. In previews and the game's manual, the stage was described as having a "missing link"Capcom (February 2000, PlayStation). Strider Hiryû 1&2 (Japanese). Instruction Manual, Pg. 10 or secret that linked the two games togetherCapcom (July 2000, PlayStation). Strider 2 (English). Instruction Manual, Pg. 13, possibly referencing its epilogue where Hien establish Grandmaster Meio as the Creator of the world and everything on it, indicating Meio's plan of repopulating Earth with his own created lifeforms in the original game eventually happened. Gallery Str2_eldorado_map.png|Map display location Str2_eldorado_waterfalls.png|Guaiquinima Waterfalls Str2_eldorado_jungle.png|Unexplored Region El Dorado Str2_boost_tail_1.png|Ruin Excavation Tunnel Str2_drillcruiser_turret.png|Inside El Dorado Ruins Str2_eldorado_burial.png|El Dorado Ruins Burial Chamber Str2_score_ranking.png|Scene 1 used in the Score Ranking screen from the Arcade version Str2_best_times.png|Scene 2 used in the Best Time screen from the Arcade version Str2_cfc_99-5_eldorado.png|In-development screenshot from the Autumn 1999 Capcom Friendly Club Video vol. 10 Trivia * Unlike all other stages in the game, El Dorado contains only 5 scenes instead of 6. As discovered in its unfishined Arcade version, there was actually a 6th scene planned, but for some reason not finished or included in the PlayStation port. This area is set between the final's 3rd and 4th areas. * The stage is likely inspired in the original Arcade game's Amazon stage, being both dense jungle settings and sharing the same monicker of "unexplored region". In turn, El Dorado likely inspired the Buried Temple from the 2014 Strider, as both are ancient ruins deep underground with unknown origins and a connection with Grandmaster Meio. References Category:Locations